Overview

"Now when Jesus was born
in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold,
wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he
who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his
star in the East, and have come to worship him.' And lo,
the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till
it came to rest over the place where the child was. When
they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy;
and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother,
and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their
treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and
myrrh." (Matthew 2:1-11, RSV)

The Armenian Church celebrates the holy birth (Sourp Dznount)
of Jesus Christ on January 6. In Armenian tradition, this feast day
commemorates not only the birth of Christ, but also His baptism by John the
Baptist. The latter is remembered through the "Blessing of Water" ceremony,
which follows the Divine Liturgy on January 6.

On the eve of the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Jrakalouyts Divine Liturgy (the lighting of the lamps
service) is celebrated in honor of the manifestation of Jesus as the Son of God
(theophany). It is custom for the faithful to hold lit candles during this
special service.

On the following day, the mystery of our Lord's baptism in the River Jordan is
remembered in the ceremony of the Jurorhnek,
or the "Blessing of Water."

In ancient times, this ceremony was celebrated by the riverside
or sea shore, but, for various reasons, it was later confined to the interior of
the churches. During the ceremony, the cross is dipped in water, recalling Christ's
immersion in the Jordan River. Blessed oil, or Holy Chrism (Muron), is poured
into the water from a dove-shaped container, symbolizing the appearance at the
baptism of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and the voice of the Father
proclaiming to all that Jesus is His Son.

The Holy Chrism is prepared in Holy Etchmiadzin and is
blessed by the Catholicos assisted by the bishops. Muron contains olive oil,
balsam and the essence of forty different flowers and herbs. At the end of the
ceremony, members of the congregation are given the blessed water to drink,
thereby sharing in the life giving act of Christ. As water is essential to the
life of the body, drinking the blessed water is a reminder that participation
in the acts of Christ is essential for eternal life.

Why January 6?

Even at the time of the Holy Apostles, the traditions in the
Christian churches in the different parts of the world were not uniform. In
fact, Christmas was probably not observed at all in the very early Church. Later,
the mysteries of the birth and baptism of Jesus Christ began to be observed on
January 6.

By the end of the 3rd century, Christmas in Rome was
celebrated on December 25, which coincided with a major pagan feast. The Eastern
churches, meanwhile, continued to observe Christmas on January 6. The Armenian
Church has maintained that ancient tradition to this day, whereas the
Greek-speaking Christian world switched to the Latin tradition at the end of
the 4th century.

Armenian-American households may exchange Christmas gifts on
December 25, since it is the custom in American society to do so. In some of
our churches in the United States, it has become traditional to observe the feast
of St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr on Christmas Eve (December 24), though that
feast is movable and may not always fall on December 24.

If possible, the faithful should fast during the seven-day
period preceding January 6, and should inform their children that they are
fasting as a way of preparation for Christmas. On the evening of January 5,
families should attend church and participate in the celebration of the
Christmas Eve Divine Liturgy. They should do the same on the morning of January
6.